Prevalence and Correlates of Diabetes in National Schizophrenia Samples

• Published in: Schizophrenia bulletin 2000-01, Vol.26 (4), p.903-912
• Main Authors: Dixon, Lisa, Weiden, Peter, Delahanty, Janine, Goldberg, Richard, Postrado, Leticia, Lucksted, Alicia, Lehman, Anthony
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Aged; Associated diseases and complications; Biological and medical sciences; Community Health Services - economics; Community Health Services - statistics & numerical data; Comorbidity; Demographic Characteristics; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus - economics; Diabetes Mellitus - epidemiology; Diabetes Mellitus - therapy; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Epidemiology; Female; Health Care Costs; Health Care Costs - statistics & numerical data; Health Care Utilization; Health Status; Health Surveys; Human; Humans; Interview, Psychological; Male; Medicaid - statistics & numerical data; Medical sciences; Medicare - statistics & numerical data; Middle Aged; Neuroleptic Drugs; Prevalence; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychoses; Quality of Life; Retrospective Studies; Sampling Studies; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - economics; Schizophrenia - epidemiology; Schizophrenia - therapy; United States - epidemiology
• ISSN: 0586-7614; 1745-1701
• DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.schbul.a033504

People with schizophrenia may be at increased risk for Type II diabetes because of the side effects of antipsychotic medication, poorer overall physical health, less healthy lifestyles, and poorer health care. The present study uses data bases collected by the Schizophrenia Patient Outcomes Research Team (PORT) to assess the prevalence and demographic and clinical correlates of diabetes within large populations of persons receiving treatment for schizophrenia. In the Schizophrenia PORT, Medicaid and Medicare data from 1991 and more recent interview data were collected regarding the comorbidity of schizophrenia and diabetes: prevalence, quality of life, physical health, and services utilization and costs. The study found that rates of diagnosed diabetes exceeded general population statistics well before the widespread use of the new antipsychotic drugs. Risk factors for diabetes were similar to those observed in the general population. The linkage of diabetes to poor physical health, medical morbidity, and increased service use and cost requires attention. This study of diabetes in the early 1990s suggests that even before the widespread use of the atypical antipsychotic drugs, diabetes was a major problem for persons with schizophrenia.